Generally speaking, stormwater management systems are used to accommodate stormwater underground. Depending on the application, stormwater management systems may include pipes, stormwater chambers, and cellular crates, boxes, or columns. After a large rainfall event, stormwater may need to be collected, detained underground in a void space, and eventually dispersed. The stormwater may be dispersed through the process of infiltration, where the water is temporarily stored and then gradually dissipated through the surrounding earth. Alternatively, the stormwater may be dispersed through the process of attenuation, where the water is temporarily stored and then controllably flowed to a discharge point. Modular crates, boxes, and columns with cells are used for both infiltration and attenuation. These stormwater solutions are buried underground and are covered by soil. The cells of these crates, boxes, and columns provide void space to retain stormwater.
However, stormwater solutions that use cellular crates, boxes, and columns have drawbacks. Once installed underground, these systems are subjected to dead loads (from the soil above them) and live loads (from passing vehicular and pedestrian traffic). The dead and live loads create tensional stress and fatigue on the boxes and crates. To carry the load, the boxes and crates require additional internal supports. These internal supports reduce the amount of void space capable of storing stormwater. To compensate, the boxes or crates must occupy a larger area. The cellular column systems, while able to carry vertical loads, lack lateral support. These systems may be subject to stress and fatigue from soil loads on the sides of the columns.
As an alternative to crates, boxes, or columns, stormwater chambers may be used for stormwater retention and detention. Typically, multiple chambers are buried underground to create large void spaces. Stormwater is directed into the underground stormwater chambers where it is collected and stored. The stormwater chambers allow the stormwater to be temporarily stored and then controllably flowed to a discharge point (attenuation) or gradually dissipated through the earth (infiltration).
However, existing stormwater chambers occupy a large land area for the volume of stormwater storage they provide. Current stormwater chambers may be installed in rows and require large amounts of fill soil or gravel between the rows.
There is a need for a stormwater chamber that has a large storage volume per land area and that has the strength, vertical support, and lateral support to withstand dead and live loads when installed. There is also a need for a stormwater chamber with an open void space that can be entirely filled with stormwater. Additionally, there is a need for stormwater chambers that can be economically installed. For example, it is important to reduce the land area required to be excavated and the fill material needed to cover the chambers. There is also a need for stormwater chambers that can be economically shipped and stored. Specifically, there is a need for a stormwater chamber that is lightweight and stacks well with others.
Accordingly, the stormwater chamber and system of the present disclosure provide improvements over the existing technologies.